Governor Linda Lingle (R - Hawaii)Posted on 09/13/2008 12:58:09 AM PDT by GVnana
Opinion
September 10, 2008
Reading about Queen Esther helped guide Palin
By Gov. Linda Lingle
If there was any doubt that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will shake up Washington and institute real change, the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee has put that question to rest. Few people can match McCain's maverick spirit and bipartisan nature like Palin.
I've known Sarah Palin since her election as governor in 2006. I am confident she will be a great friend of the Jewish community and Israel, as well as a terrific leader and great vice president.
Governor Linda Lingle (R - Hawaii)
It is not surprising that her historic nomination has brought enthusiasm and excitement to the nation.
In my speech at the Republican National Convention, I shared a few reasons for that excitement.
"As a fellow Republican governor, I have had the chance to get to know Gov. Sarah Palin," I said in that speech. "She is a terrific individual and an outstanding governor. Sarah is a person with proven leadership skills and strong moral character."
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the only Jewish Republican in the House of Representatives, wrote that he was "excited" by the choice.
Congressman Eric Cantor (R- Virginia)
"Sarah brings a wealth of experience to the campaign and will pose a formidable challenge to the Democratic nominees," Cantor said. "Sarah Palin is a smart woman who represents change."
Gov. Palin brings numerous strengths and qualities to the position of vice president. She has been a mayor, a governor and the head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. While serving in these positions, she has built a reputation as a leader willing to work across party lines to bring about real reform and to better the lives of her constituents.
Gov. Palin has cut taxes and curtailed budgetary spending. Rooting out corruption and establishing ethics reform have been hallmarks of her career.
Gov. Palin has also shown that she is not wedded to party politics nor does she play politics as usual. She has said that the function of a politician is not to serve one's self-interest but rather to serve with a "servant's heart."
Perhaps one of Gov. Palin's greatest assets is her firm grasp on one of our country's greatest security issues -- how to tackle our dependence on foreign oil and our growing need for energy independence. On this critical issue, she has a depth of experience and firsthand knowledge that will prove invaluable to a McCain-Palin administration.
As governor, she challenged the influence of big oil companies and fought for the development of new energy resources in her state. And as an outdoorswoman and naturalist, she understands and cares deeply about the impact of climate change.
Gov. Palin has advocated that environmental issues be weighed against economic and social needs and that meaningful discussion take place in order for policymakers to make the best decisions for our country.
During her tenure as commander-in-chief of Alaska's National Guard, she made it a priority to visit the troops from her state deployed to Kuwait and Germany.
Finally, on Iran -- an issue that is critically important to readers of this publication -- Gov. Palin gets it. She recognizes the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while advocating for strengthening the strategic U.S.-Israel relationship.
It is also clear that Gov. Palin is a woman of deep personal faith. She has established a good relationship with the Jewish communities of Alaska, supported the residents' desire to create the Alaska Jewish Historical Museum and was present at the reading of Alaska's resolution commemorating Israel's 60th anniversary.
In her office in Juneau, Gov. Palin has hung an Israeli flag. She displays the flag because Israel is in her heart.
One of the finest qualities Gov. Palin has demonstrated recently is her tremendous grace under fire. Since the announcement of her selection as our vice presidential nominee, she has faced an onslaught of rumor, smear and innuendo. Yet Gov. Palin has remained strong and resolute. She has let the truth speak for itself.
Shortly after coming into office, Gov. Palin asked her former pastor for examples of biblical people who were great leaders and what was the secret of their leadership. The pastor suggested she re-read the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish woman who rose to help her people and became queen of Persia.
Like Queen Esther, Gov. Palin has faced tremendous adversity, and time and again she has risen to overcome obstacles. This is the sign of a true leader.
As Americans get to know Gov. Palin, I think they will see all the wonderful things about her I have seen over the years. She will be a great friend and advocate for the issues important to us. For that she deserves our respect, friendship and, most importantly, our support.
Linda Lingle, a Jewish Republican, currently serves as the governor of Hawaii.
Courtesy of Jewish Telegraphic Agency
...
In listening to the media and the Dems question whether she’s ready and how a young, short-term governor could be in this position, I keep thinking of Mordecai’s comment to Esther, when she herself had doubts: (paraphrasing) “And who’s to say that God didn’t put you in this position for such a time as this?”
Wouldn't that make McCain sort of Mordechai (or technically rather Xerxes) (sort of...)? Anyway Haman would be obviously Obama and the Democrat party.
Oh BTW Persia had also a Christian Queen in the 6th century... Shirin, the wife of King Khosrow II, who was also the King who received the "convert-or-die" letter from Mohammed (the same letter Bush BTW got from Ahmadinejad). Khosrow tore the letter to shreds. The following history didn't work out to well for Persia though.
GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities?
PALIN: Well, first, we are friends with Israel and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security.
GIBSON: So if we wouldn’t second guess it and they decided they needed to do it because Iran was an existential threat, we would cooperative or agree with that.
PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation.
GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right.
PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself.
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That’s odd. I had been taught that the book of Esther was probably Apocryphal and historically inaccurate, with no redeeming features for use as an example for the Christian believer...?
What gives here? I’m not so sure I like the Idea of Sarah Palin being inspired by the Book of Esther.
I think Sarah is more like the talented young shepherd who was grossly misunderestimated for his limited experience ~ yet took on a giant with confidence, humility and inspired judgment as his only armor.
And he became king.
Been taught by who? Let me guess... some athest leftist college "region" professor? That's like getting taught rocket science by a 10 year old that built a model rocket in his backyard.
It made the Cannon where as the books of the Maccabees did not. This being in a time much closer to the events described. In a world of Higher Criticism our understanding of these texts can lead to the loss of faith or an increase of it.
As a document of history, the Bible has been slowly proving more accurate than not which is kind of shocking, except that folks don't allow that the people who compiled its text had records and writings to base their work from.
Its popular to dismiss this greatest of works for the fact we can find human finger prints on it. This is a great error. This text brings information and instruction out of time that the bibles compilers were extraordinarily careful about preserving even when they couldn't understand it. This has made sections of the document confusing and difficult, but in the end wondrously instructive. Rabbi's and sages have noted this "out-of-time" nature to these texts which is partially due to the narrative being written in present tense hundreds of years after the actual events.
The Book Deuteronomy being the most powerful example of this. It may be the key book of the whole Bible and yet it was most probably written at the very end of the First Temple period. Without it, Judaism and very probably Christianity would never have occurred. In fact, one theory is that with its completion and the accumulation of the texts of the history of the Kings and Prophets the work of the first Temple was completed paving the way for its Destruction.
The book of Ester has been kept just like the Book of Job because it has message and meaning that justifies its inclusion. This choice has been made over and over and it has made the cut through the ages so its inclusion has been deemed intensely important.
Cantor is excited because he and palin are actually, secretly twins.
Check it out:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2055552/posts?page=233#233
I always pray that the enemies of McCain and Palin, would hang on the gallows that they prepared for McCain and Palin. I got that from the story of Esther, of course.
Palin is exactly what America need.
An outsider that can sort the graft from the chaff.
May God bless all who truly love him.
bttt
Why? It is an inspirational story. "God may have placed you in this position for such a time as this." It is all about rising to the challenge to do what is right even if it might mean great personal risk.
I can understand the comparisons with Esther, but Sarah Palin reminds me more of Deborah from the book of Judges.
I believe that the Books of the Maccabees are in the Catholic Bible.
Who taught you Esther was not accurate?
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